Bread and Roses Strike of 1912: Two Months in Lawrence, Massachusetts, that Changed Labor History

There were other strikes before and after the Lawrence Textile Strike, but it was a milestone for the city, and more broadly, for labor history, the textile industry, and American immigration. 27,000 workers were affected with positive immediate results:  wage increases from five to 25 percent, overtime pay, and a modification of the “premium system.”  In a broader perspective, the aftermath of the strike rippled throughout New England as textile workers were given a wage increase of five to seven percent. 

On September 29, Carlo Tresca, an IWW leader, led a parade through the streets of Lawrence.  Participants carried red flags and banners proclaiming “No God; No Master!”   On October 2, Mayor Scanlon appealed “to the patriotic and law respecting people of Lawrence.” He urged citizens to wear US flags on their lapels until Thanksgiving as a rebuke. A patriotic Columbus Day parade, led by Father O'Reilly and pronouncing "For God and Country!" took place. The IWW was banned from the event.  . On Saturday evening, October 19, Jonas Smolskas, a mill spinner, was assaulted for wearing an IWW button on his jacket rather than an American flag pin.  He died three days later as a result of his injuries.